The Ainu and the Tao
by x se
Summary: Ren has been acting weird lately, especially around a certain Ainu girl, though no one really pays it much heed. However, when Pirika gets so angry at him that she says something very cruel to him, his reaction is one that no one some would have expected.
1. Pirika

**_The Ainu and the Tao

* * *

_**

**Summary:** Ren has been acting weird lately, especially around a certain Ainu girl, though no one really pays it much heed. However, when Pirika gets so angry at him that she says something very cruel to him, his reaction is one that no one some would have expected.

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Written By:** Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion

* * *

**Hika-chan: Seve-sama wishes he owned anime's like Shaman King, but he does not.**

(Mostly POV)

* * *

**_The Ainu and the Tao_**

Pirika Usui P. O. V.  


Hello. My name is Pirika Usui. My older brother is Horokeu Usui, but he likes to be called Horo Horo. We are Ainu people, we come from the north and stuff. Onii-chan understands that cultural stuff a lot better then I do since he spent more time learning the Ainu culture to become a shaman.

I trained my onii-chan really really hard for the Shaman Tournament, which only comes around every five hundred years. Our dream was to make a place for the Koropokkur, ice spirits who live underneath lily pads. Onii-chan's partner spirit is one, her name is Kororo.

Onii-chan lost the first round of the tournament to Yoh Asakura, and at the beginning, I hated him. But now we are all good friends. In fact, onii-chan and I live with them when it's summertime on the mountains, which it is currently.

Today was just like any other day. Tamao and I were talking in the kitchen, Ren was nearby drinking his oh so precious milk, Ryu was training with onii-chan and Yoh outside, Yoh's friends Manta was with them, Anna was watching soap operas, and a temporary visitor, Faust the Eighth, was resting in one of the many guest rooms.

Tamao got up to pour herself a glass of iced tea, unsweetened, and I looked over at Ren. He is quite the enigma. What do I actually know about him?

He is rude, arrogant, and mean to onii-chan. He _supposedly_ had a bad father, but I doubt that. I say it's just an excuse he hypnotized into onii-chan and the other's heads. But it might be true… For Kami's sake, his sister's lover is a zombie. A ZOMBIE! As in _dead person_!

However, there's just one other thing that is kind of a problem. Ya see… I sorta got a crush on him… It started recently, and I began to notice odd things. Like whenever he's in deep thought, if someone interrupts them, he doesn't yell at them like he used to, he just blinks and blushes. He looks at me a lot. I bet he's thinking about tricking me into giving onii-chan too much training again. Last time, it was a bad experience when onii-chan got heat stroke.

He's looking at me right now in fact, I can feel his stare on my back. I turned to look at him and grinned.

"Need something?" I ask curiously. He stares, then turns away, closing his eyes and drinking more milk. He has a whole carton next to his glass. Crazy, cute, hunky, nutcase…

(Sevetenks: Hunky… (shivers))

I hear the door slide open, and in walk Horo Horo, Yoh, and Ryu. I smiled when onii-chan gave Tamao a quick kiss before plopping down across from Ren and next to me.

"Hello onii-chan!" I say cheerfully, grinning. He looked like he had fun, and Kororo is sitting on his head, smiling down at her partner. Soon, Anna came in and we started eating. Faust was with Eliza probably, and when they are alone, they er… Well, you know what adults in love do, right?

Soon, we were all talking and eating, I was teasing Tamao about what my nephews and nieces might look like, and Horo Horo wasn't helping her out, he was too busy with what he usually does at the table. Argue with Ren. Now, despite my crush on Ren, Horo Horo will always come first in my book.

"Oh yeah?" yelled Horo Horo. I hadn't heard what they were arguing about, but I decided to listen in anyway.

"Yes." Said Ren plainly. "You are."

"No I am not!" snapped Horo Horo, glaring at Ren angrily.

"You _are_…" insisted Ren, grinning evilly. Man, that grin makes him look soooooooo…

"I am not!" yelled Horo Horo, flailing his arms around.

I have had enough!

"Yes, you a-" started Ren, but I interrupted him.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed, silencing everyone. "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PICK ON ONII-CHAN? HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU! I BET THAT YOUR 'OH SO TERRIBLE DADDY' WAS A NICE GUY COMPARED TO YOU!"

Ren abruptly stood up and left the room, looking down for some reason, What's the big deal? He had a "bad" dad and I insulted him. Big deal, at least he had a father. Me and Horo Horo were orphans…

Horo is standing up. He ran after Ren, why is he doing that?

"She didn't mean it! Ren!"

I notice the looks Ryu and Yoh are giving me, and I realized maybe that wasn't such a smart thing to say…

_End Chapter One_

* * *

**Sevetenks: Well, my first Ren/Pirika. I'm toying with an idea for a Hao/Macchi (please read Dreams!)**

**Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion**


	2. Yoh, Anna, Ren and Ryu

_**The Ainu and the Tao

* * *

**_

**Summary:** Ren has been acting weird lately, especially around a certain Ainu girl, though no one really pays it much heed. However, when Pirika gets so angry at him that she says something very cruel to him, his reaction is one that no one some would have expected.

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Written By:** Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion

* * *

**Hika-chan: Seve-sama wishes he owned anime's like Shaman King, but he does not.

* * *

**

(Mostly POV)

**Sevetenks: Whoever commented on the use of the word "hunky", don't get mad at me. I thought Pirika was too young for "hot" and I really don't know what hunky means, I heard it on TV… Ah well… This chapter's kinda YohNa-ish… Nothing from Pirika, and a paragraph or two from Ren.

* * *

**

_**The Ainu and the Tao**_

Yoh Asakura P. O. V.

Today had been a fun day. Me, Horo Horo, and Ryu had been training out in the backyard, and now we were enjoying a nice dinner. I, in Manta and Ryu's words, was shamelessly flirting with Anna, which I doubt. And if I was, she was flirting back!

…

Well…

…

Okay, so I was shamelessly flirting with Anna and she was _calmly_ flirting back, very subtly though, so she wouldn't seem too girly. Anyway, we were flirting, and the rest of the table was eating and talking. Well, Horo Horo and Ren were arguing, but the fact is, they're friends, so I know it's all in good fu-

"SHUT UP!"

I blinked. I think everyone at the whole table blinked, and turned to stare at Pirika.

Anna Kyoyama-Asakura P. O. V.

Yoh was flirting with me. Was I angry? No. Was I going to slap him? No. Would I have done so during the Shaman Tournament? Yes. Now that we're husband and wife, well… That wouldn't have changed anything. On our wedding night, confessing our _well_ hidden love to each other, well, that would definitely change something.

Actually, if he had started flirting with me during the Shaman Tournament, I would have probably done many things out of character, such as sing, jump up for joy, etc. Well… I still inwardly do that sometimes when Yoh does something sweet, like last week when he cleared everyone out of here and we had a candlelight dinner. It was really wonderful…

Anyway, Yoh is flirting and I am "flirting"… Ugh, girly word… Anyway, we're doing that. Ryu and Manta are teasing Yoh, though he doesn't mind, Pirika is teasing Tamao, and ice boy and point head are arguing. Not like that's something new, but I have a feeling if they really disliked each other, they would have tried to kill each other a _long_ time ago.

I hadn't been paying attention to what they actually arguing about, but it was obvious that Ren had called Horo Horo something, from the dialogue of the argument.

"Yes, you are a-"

"SHUT UP!"

Huh? What's wrong with Pirika? I glance at the girl, who's glaring furiously at Ren.

"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PICK ON ONII-CHAN? HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU! I BET THAT YOUR 'OH SO TERRIBLE DADDY' WAS A NICE GUY COMPARED TO YOU!"

My eyes widened, slightly and involuntarily. I knew more about the Tao's then most, since at one point I had tried to stop Yoh and the others from saving Ren. That was an extremely low blow, and a cruel remark too. Ren's face was unreadable, because he ran out of the room. I don't think anyone else saw them, but I think I might have seen a tear or two.

Ren Tao P. O. V.

I am worse then father? Am I that bad? I don't think so… But, she said I was. I've cared about her since I saw her for the first time, though it was small at the time. But since then I've been crazy about her and always valued her opinion. Well, about everything but her brother. I only poke fun at Horo because it's fun, and from what I can tell, Horo fells the same way.

But… Maybe I'm wrong?

But inevitably, to be _compared_ by _her_ of all people, to my father… It feels like someone cut up my insides.

Is that how she really views me?

Bokuto No Ryu P. O. V.

"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PICK ON ONII-CHAN? HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU! I BET THAT YOUR 'OH SO TERRIBLE DADDY' WAS A NICE GUY COMPARED TO YOU!"

I could not believe it when I heard those words come out of Horo Horo's younger sister's mouth. That was something even Hao would not have used against someone. Okay, he might have if necessary, but still. I had recently noticed the way Ren looks at the young girl, so I think that might have possibly crushed him more then if anyone else had said it. I wanted to go after Ren, but Horo Horo seemed to have that part going well, so I turned to look at Yoh-sama. He knew well what Ren's father En was like, after all he put us through in that castle of there's.

But did Pirika actually _know_ what happened on in there? Well, Yoh-sama is actually glaring somewhat at Pirika, he values his friends greatly, a great thing about him. Looking at Yoh-sama's glare though, I see how he and Hao are related.

"How could you say something like that?" snapped Yoh, looked past Pirika as if she were some sort of ugly creature that he was being forced to speak to. Or at least that's how it looked to me, I can not read Yoh-sama's expressions as well as Anna-sama.

"Um… What's the big deal exactly…?" stammered Pirika. My expression softens when I see confusion and guilt written all over her face.

"I do not think she knows the full story Yoh-sama." I said gently. Then, Yoh and I, with the help of Anna, told the history of the Tao's to Pirika.

**End Chapter Two**

**

* * *

**

**Sevetenks: Yeah… The next chapter is fluff (and probably the end, I'm still tinkering with a/the chapter afterwards) And by the way, I happen to like Ryu. He's cool, so chances are he won't be bashed by me. Unlike most other people… (Or they're just not doing a wonderful job at including him or writing Ryu in character, I don't know)**

**Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion**


	3. Pirika and Ren Fluff

**_The Ainu and the Tao

* * *

_**

**Summary:** Ren has been acting weird lately, especially around a certain Ainu girl, though no one really pays it much heed. However, when Pirika gets so angry at him that she says something very cruel to him, his reaction is one that no one some would have expected.

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Written By:** Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion

* * *

**Hika-chan: Seve-sama wishes he owned anime's like Shaman King, but he does not.

* * *

**

(Mostly POV)

**Sevetenks: This chapter is just Ren Pirika "fluff" or whatever the heck it's called. As for the next chapter, unless I actually put it up, this is the last one. Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

**

**_The Ainu and the Tao_**

Normal P. O. V.

Pirika walked out of the kitchen as soon as Yoh, Ryu, and Anna finished their little "story". She was ridden with guilt and heartache. Ren would never like after what she had done… She had to apologize, she just _had_ to.

Pirika walked into the hall of Ren's room, and saw Horo Horo walking out.

"Onii-chan… I have to talk to Ren…" stammered Pirika. "May I…?"

Horokeu Usui P. O. V. 

Well… This is it. She's letting it be up to me.

I can't help but feel torn right now. I love my little imouto-chan very much, but I know if I let her pass and apologize, she and Ren will become a couple. I've seen the way they look at each other. It's not as obvious as some other things, but it's definitely there. Ren does in fact love her, that much I know. Very much, if my opinion means anything.

I hope I am making the right choice.

Normal P. O. V.

"Alright… Good luck…" said Horo Horo as he walked past his sister.

Pirika gulped, and stood in front of Ren's doorway. By now, Bason had informed Ren of her presence, if the spirit was paying attention that is. With a shaky breath, Pirika slid the door open and stepped inside, sliding the door shut, very slowly.

Pirika saw Ren sitting on his futon, his bare back to her, showing her the markings on his back.

"Ren…?" stammered Pirika as she tentatively walked over and sat down behind him.

"Yes, Pirika?" asked Ren softly, a gentle version of his normally arrogant tongue.

"Um… Ren, I didn't know…" said Pirika.

"Hm?" was all she got out of him.

"All I knew was your dad wasn't the best of dads…" said Pirika softly. "I mean, I never had a dad at all, so I wouldn't know the difference between a good one and a bad one and I didn't mean to say that, I was just mad and-"

"Pirika-chan…" said Ren quietly, and softly.

"Y-Yes…?" stammered Pirika. Ren let out a small chuckle.

"You are rambling." Said Ren. Pirika giggled.

"Am I forgiven?" asked Pirika. "Because I am very sorry, I would never purposefully hurt someone I love like that, I just didn't know."

Ren's back stiffened and Pirika clapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she had said.

"W-What…?" spluttered Ren. Pirika sighed, and scooted a little closer and whispered in his ear.

"Aishiteru." Whispered Pirika softly. As she pulled her head away from Ren's ear, she saw a small smile on his face. It was a happy smile, Pirika could tell.

"I… Me too…" spluttered Ren. Pirika smiled and hugged him from behind.

"I love you Ren-kun, and I am so so sorry for what I said…" said Pirika. Ren turned around and hugged her close to him, both of them enjoying their first hug. Ren tentatively pulled away and stared into Pirika's aqua orbs. They were silent for a few moment.

"Pirika-chan…" stammered Ren tentatively. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again.

"Yes, you can kiss me…" said Pirika, a small blush gracing her face.

Ren leaned into her head, because she was nervous, and slowly kissed her. After pulling away, they smiled and stood up. Ren pulled on his shirt, and Pirika put on a pout.

"What's wrong?" asked Ren as he tied the knots in the front.

"I like you better without it…" mock pouted Pirika. Ren smiled and chuckled, and hand in hand, they went back to dinner.

* * *

**End Chapter Three**

**Sevetenks: So…? Did U all like it? Well, review please! And as you know, if you read the first note, this _might_ be the last chapter, but I am tinkering with something in Horo's POV as the epilogue. Well, even so, it was good, ne?**

**Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion**


	4. Horokeu's Reflections

**_

* * *

_**

The Ainu and the Tao

* * *

**Summary:** Ren has been acting weird lately, especially around a certain Ainu girl, though no one really pays it much heed. However, when Pirika gets so angry at him that she says something very cruel to him, his reaction is one that no one some would have expected.

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Written By:** Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion

* * *

**Hika-chan: Seve-sama wishes he owned anime's like Shaman King, but he does not.**

* * *

_(Mostly POV)_

**Sevetenks: In response to some of what XxMist-GliderxX said, I think I needed to clear some things up that weren't clear in the previous chapter.**

**First, Ren wasn't wearing his shirt because he was going to bed, but Horo Horo stormed in trying to apologize on behalf of Pirika. It shows that he didn't expect anyone to come after him, but I should have made that more obvious, shouldn't I?**

**Second, -chan is used at the end of a girl's name when you care about them or are being friendly or being cute. –kun at the end of a boy's name for similar reasons, though for characters like Rika Nonaka (Ruki Makino, Digimon) or Anna, they would not like being called '-chan' because it makes them look cute.**

**Chimon: And on with the show! And please don't report us, because those two things were important for you to know:(**

* * *

**_The Ainu and the Tao_**

Horokeu Usui P. O. V.

As I walked away from Pirika, who was going to talk to Ren, I looked back. It seems like just yesterday I was running out of our burning house carrying a baby in my small arms, which grew up into my beautiful sister. Pirika never knew our parents, and I was only 2 or something, but still. We lived in the field for a few years, where I met Kororo, and she protected us even before she and I became partners. Then we went back to the Ainu village, about the time I taught Pirika to talk. One day, someone from a town nearby our burned down house where we lived, came and took Pirika away from me.

Well, I had been out at the time with Kororo, seeing the village elder. I was an official shaman then. As I arrived at our little hut, I saw someone taking my imouto away, I went crazy. I spent an entire year looking for her. It was how I trained to be a Shaman. I bought a snowboard in the first city I stopped at, it was really big for me, and I have grown into it now, but then, I was a kid who looked like he should be in school, wandering around in winter clothing with a huge snowboard strapped to his back, sometimes talking to someone who no one else could ever see.

I never had any friends, I lived alone with adults for the first important part of my life and the second important part I was searching for Pirika. I finally found her, she was labeled the freak who could talk to ghosts at an orphanage actually run by a bad shaman, but I didn't find that out until he came after me when I brought Pirika home.

And _that_ was how I learned how to use the Oversoul, and then the elders taught me about Mana. I figured it out just as I saved Pirika. She treated me like a superhero for a year actually.

My point is, I love her to bits. I raised her. And now she's growing up. My little sweet imouto is growing up. So am I really. I mean, I love Tamao with all my heart, I really, truly do. She and Pirika are the two girls in my life, and I'd probably go nuts without them.

As Ren and Pirika slowly walk into the kitchen, holding hands, I smile. I have _never_ seen either of them this happy. (Technically, I've only seen Ren happy once, and that was when we saved Jun from the big Tao guy, his dad. I later found out that was the second time his sister had ever seen him happy, so, you see where I'm going with this…) Well, I think my decision was the right one, letting Pirika pass. As long as Ren doesn't hurt her, and make her as happy as she looks right now, well then I don't have any problems with their relationship.

That is, of course, if they don't start making out in front of me. Well… _That_ is a bridge we'll cross when we get to it, right now it's time to eat some of my sweet Tamao-chan's cooking!

Mmm… Apple pie…

**THE END**

* * *

End Chapter Four

**Sevetenks: So, what did you think? I know it wasn't the best thing in the world, but the next (and FINAL) chapter is a fluffy little epilogue, and will be up in 3-5 days depending on how long it takes me to write it, since this was technically the epilogue, until about five minutes ago when I changed my mind. Till then, Ja ne!**

Sevetenks, the Ultimate Fusion


End file.
